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Publications

The following list of California Water Science Center publications includes both official USGS publications and journal articles authored by our scientists.

Filter Total Items: 1841

Coastal groundwater dynamics off Santa Barbara, California: combining geochemical tracers, electromagnetic seepmeters, and electrical resistivity Coastal groundwater dynamics off Santa Barbara, California: combining geochemical tracers, electromagnetic seepmeters, and electrical resistivity

This paper presents repeat field measurements of 222Rn and 223,224,226,228Ra, electromagnetic seepage meter-derived advective fluxes, and multi-electrode, stationary and continuous marine resistivity surveys collected between November 2005 and April 2007 to study coastal groundwater dynamics within a marine beach in Santa Barbara, California. The study provides insight into magnitude and...
Authors
Peter W. Swarzenski, John A. Izbicki

A new syringe pump apparatus for the retrieval and temporal analysis of helium in groundwaters and geothermal fluids A new syringe pump apparatus for the retrieval and temporal analysis of helium in groundwaters and geothermal fluids

We present details of a newly designed syringe pump apparatus for the retrieval and temporal analysis of helium (SPARTAH). The device is composed of a commercially available syringe pump connected to coils of Cu tubing, which interface the syringe and the groundwater or geothermal wellhead. Through test deployments at geothermal wells in Iceland and California, we show that well fluids...
Authors
P.H. Barry, David R. Hilton, M.D. Tryon, K. M. Brown, J.T. Kulongoski

New evidence for a magmatic influence on the origin of Valles Marineris, Mars New evidence for a magmatic influence on the origin of Valles Marineris, Mars

In this paper, we show that the complex geological evolution of Valles Marineris, Mars, has been highly influenced by the manifestation of magmatism (e.g., possible plume activity). This is based on a diversity of evidence, reported here, for the central part, Melas Chasma, and nearby regions, including uplift, loss of huge volumes of material, flexure, volcanism, and possible...
Authors
J. M. Dohm, J.-P. Williams, R. C. Anderson, J. Ruiz, P.C. McGuire, G. Komatsu, A.F. Davila, J.C. Ferris, D. Schulze-Makuch, V.R. Baker, W. V. Boynton, A.G. Fairen, T.M. Hare, H. Miyamoto, K. L. Tanaka, S.J. Wheelock

Hindcasting of decadal‐timescale estuarine bathymetric change with a tidal‐timescale model Hindcasting of decadal‐timescale estuarine bathymetric change with a tidal‐timescale model

Hindcasting decadal-timescale bathymetric change in estuaries is prone to error due to limited data for initial conditions, boundary forcing, and calibration; computational limitations further hinder efforts. We developed and calibrated a tidal-timescale model to bathymetric change in Suisun Bay, California, over the 1867–1887 period. A general, multiple-timescale calibration ensured...
Authors
Neil K. Ganju, David H. Schoellhamer, Bruce E. Jaffe

A simplified water temperature model for the Colorado River below Glen Canyon Dam A simplified water temperature model for the Colorado River below Glen Canyon Dam

Glen Canyon Dam, located on the Colorado River in northern Arizona, has affected the physical, biological and cultural resources of the river downstream in Grand Canyon. One of the impacts to the downstream physical environment that has important implications for the aquatic ecosystem is the transformation of the thermal regime from highly variable seasonally to relatively constant year...
Authors
S.A. Wright, C.R. Anderson, N. Voichick

Effects of the herbicide diuron on cordgrass (Spartina foliosa) reflectance and photosynthetic parameters Effects of the herbicide diuron on cordgrass (Spartina foliosa) reflectance and photosynthetic parameters

Early indicators of salt marsh plant stress are needed to detect stress before it is manifested as changes in biomass and coverage. We explored a variety of leaf-level spectral reflectance and fluorescence variables as indicators of stress in response to the herbicide diuron. Diuron, a Photosystem II inhibitor, is heavily used in areas adjacent to estuaries, but its ecological effects...
Authors
S.L. Williams, A. Carranza, J. Kunzelman, S. Datta, Kathryn Kuivila

Dietary flexibility in three representative waterbirds across salinity and depth gradients in salt ponds of San Francisco Bay Dietary flexibility in three representative waterbirds across salinity and depth gradients in salt ponds of San Francisco Bay

Salt evaporation ponds have existed in San Francisco Bay, California, for more than a century. In the past decade, most of the salt ponds have been retired from production and purchased for resource conservation with a focus on tidal marsh restoration. However, large numbers of waterbirds are found in salt ponds, especially during migration and wintering periods. The value of these...
Authors
John Y. Takekawa, A.K. Miles, D. C. Tsao-Melcer, D. H. Schoellhamer, S. Fregien, N.D. Athearn

The ecohealth assessment and ecological restoration division of urban water system in Beijing The ecohealth assessment and ecological restoration division of urban water system in Beijing

Evaluating six main rivers and six lakes in Beihuan water system (BWS) and diagnosing the limiting factors of eco-health were conducted for the ecohealth assessment and ecological restoration division of urban water system (UWS) for Beijing. The results indicated that Jingmi River and Nanchang River were in a healthy state, the degree of membership to unhealthy were 0.358, 0.392...
Authors
J. Liu, M. Ma, F. Zhang, Z. Yang, Joseph L. Domagalski

Turbulent stresses and secondary currents in a tidal-forced channel with significant curvature and asymmetric bed forms Turbulent stresses and secondary currents in a tidal-forced channel with significant curvature and asymmetric bed forms

Acoustic Doppler current profilers are deployed to measure both the mean flow and turbulent properties in a channel with significant curvature. Direct measurements of the Reynolds stress show a significant asymmetry over the tidal cycle where stresses are enhanced during the flood tide and less prominent over the ebb tide. This asymmetry is corroborated by logarithmic fits using...
Authors
D.A. Fong, Stephen G. Monismith, M.T. Stacey, J.R. Burau

Effects of Groundwater Development on Uranium: Central Valley, California, USA Effects of Groundwater Development on Uranium: Central Valley, California, USA

Uranium (U) concentrations in groundwater in several parts of the eastern San Joaquin Valley, California, have exceeded federal and state drinking water standards during the last 20 years. The San Joaquin Valley is located within the Central Valley of California and is one of the most productive agricultural areas in the world. Increased irrigation and pumping associated with...
Authors
Bryant C. Jurgens, Miranda S. Fram, Kenneth Belitz, Karen R. Burow, Matthew K. Landon

Urban streams across the USA: Lessons learned from studies in 9 metropolitan areas Urban streams across the USA: Lessons learned from studies in 9 metropolitan areas

Studies of the effects of urbanization on stream ecosystems have usually focused on single metropolitan areas. Synthesis of the results of such studies have been useful in developing general conceptual models of the effects of urbanization, but the strength of such generalizations is enhanced by applying consistent study designs and methods to multiple metropolitan areas across large...
Authors
Larry R. Brown, Thomas F. Cuffney, James F. Coles, Faith A. Fitzpatrick, Gerard McMahon, Jeffrey Steuer, Amanda H. Bell, Jason T. May

Assigning land use to supply wells for the statistical characterization of regional groundwater quality: Correlating urban land use and VOC occurrence Assigning land use to supply wells for the statistical characterization of regional groundwater quality: Correlating urban land use and VOC occurrence

Many national and regional groundwater studies have correlated land use "near" a well, often using a 500 m radius circle, with water quality. However, the use of a 500 m circle may seem counterintuitive given that contributing areas are expected to extend up-gradient from wells, and not be circular in shape. The objective of this study was to evaluate if a 500 m circle is adequate for...
Authors
T.D. Johnson, K. Belitz
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